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TIL Rather than use CGI, Tim Burton had 40 squirrels trained to crack nuts for Charlie & The Chocolate Factory(2005).

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via reddit.com

16X7V TIL that Marco Apicella has the shortest F1 career in history. Upon spinning his car in practice at the 1993 Italian Grand Prix, he managed to qualify in P23 for the race, only to crash his car on the first chicane, breaking his arm and ending his F1 career just seconds into his first race
mxgoO TIL Some of the oldest preserved female litterature come from poems by early Buddhist nuns in 6th century BCE (2500 years ago!). The women express their spiritual equality to men, and issues such as child mortality. They also discuss the role and abilities women in society
DQxpv TIL: Ping-pong balls are made with celluloid, which is a byproduct of the paper-making process. Celluloid is used in ping-pong balls because it is easily molded and shaped, while allowing for the high-bounce property of the balls.
J18dm TIL about Aleksander Doba. At the age of 65, he kayaked from Senegal to Brazil across the Atlantic Ocean in a kayak without a sail, relying only on a paddle and his muscles. The voyage took 99 days and spanned 5394 kilometers.
WkW8N TIL that a Chinese man lost his ability to speak after faking muteness for 12 years.